Keynote Address
8:30 AM Thursday, December 3
Jan Davidson, founder, Davidson Institute for Talent Development
Thinking Big About Gifted Education
Age-based learning is not working, particularly for the gifted. In today’s world of individualized services, the education system should fit the curriculum to each student, rather than making each student fit into an age-based curriculum. Learn how to think big with unique approaches and strategies.
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Featured Sessions
8:30 AM Friday, December 4
Dr. Dona Mathews, University of Toronto and Psychoeducational Consultant
What Does The Research Say? Current Views on Best Practice with High-Ability Learners
Gifted education is in the midst of a paradigm shift, integrating research about developmental psychology, neural development, and the interplay of cognition and emotion. New findings will be discussed that have practical implications for parents and teachers of gifted learners.
Stephanie Tolan, author
Change Your Story, Change Your Life
Gifted kids face challenges with academic and social/emotional issues, and will deal with them using their own mental capacities. We can’t always change what happens in our lives, but it is always possible to change our stories. Learning to recognize the negative stories and focusing them in a more positive direction allows children to become heroes rather than victims, no matter how imperfect their world.
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Pre-Conference Institutes
Wednesday, December 2
Dr. John Barell, professor emeritus at Montclair State University
Why Are School Buses Always Yellow? Inquiry, Problem Solving and Creative Thinking for the 21st Century
This institute will focus upon challenging all our students to ask good questions, conduct purposeful investigations, think critically, draw reasonable conclusions and reflect on performance. We will challenge ourselves to find within our established curricula ways to foster students’ inquisitiveness and creative problem solving. There will be opportunity to apply specific instructional approaches to long term curriculum development and assessments of understanding.
Dr. Susan Rakow, Cleveland State University
Gifted in the Middle: Challenges, Choices, and Change
Beginning with a look at the need for greater collaboration with middle school advocates, this institute will focus on the nature and needs of the gifted early adolescent, programming options, curriculum models, assessment, and finally, action planning and overcoming obstacles to change. Interactive strategies will be used to help participants make the content relevant and appropriate to their school, students, and community.
John Samara, The Curriculum Project
A Coordinated, Organization Approach to Excellence
Responding to the needs of all children can be accomplished by developing an organization that focuses on effective instruction. Theories abound, but concrete strategies to improve student performance are what makes the difference. This institute will provide an overview of The Curry/Samara Model of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment (CSM) and The Model Curriculum Project (MCP).CSM is an integrated, standards approach to curriculum development that addresses differentiation from three dimensions: content, process, and product. With a focus on curriculum development and implementation of instructional strategies, The Curry Samara Model is the foundation upon which a model classroom is built.
Dr. Susan Johnsen, Baylor University, and Todd Kettler, Coppell ISD
Components of an Exemplary Program: From Standards to Best Practices
This working session for program coordinators and administrators will focus on identification of diverse populations, program design, curriculum, professional development, national standards, and issues related to accountability. Participants will have opportunities to network and share their ³glows² and ³grows² about their current school program.
Marilyn Peebles, ESC Region 13 and others
Grow with the Texas Performance Standards Project
Description TBA; this institute will focus on a practical approach to introducing and utilizing the Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP); working teachers who have successfully implemented the TPSP at elementary, middle school, and high school levels will be featured.
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